April 2018

The Columbus Cancer Clinic, the oldest free cancer clinic in the United States, honored the contributions of some of its outstanding volunteers at the Volunteer Recognition event on Monday, April 16, 2018.

Each year, the Columbus Cancer Clinic Spirit Awards are presented to an individual or group who has given countless hours, support, and care for clients facing cancer. The awards are given in recognition of volunteer contributions during the previous year.

The 2017 award recipients are:

Rick and Bobbie Fletcher, Client Care Spirit Award

Sue Gordon, Columbus CEO Magazine Healthcare Volunteer of the Year

Nancy Lurie, Catherine Nelson Black Philanthropic Spirit Award

Northwestern Mutual, Philanthropic Spirit Award

Worly Plumbing, Corporate Leadership Spirit Award

If you are interested in volunteering with the Columbus Cancer Clinic or any LifeCare Alliance program, contact LifeCare Alliance at 614-444-MEAL or email volunteer@www.lifecarealliance.org.

An anonymous donor has generously promised to match $5 million in Endowment donations in 2018, which will help ensure a permanent source of funding to LifeCare Alliance.

“When he said he was going to do this, I was just in tears,” said president and CEO of LifeCare Alliance Chuck Gehring. “We’ve got to be able to get to those people when they need us.”

The potential of having $10 million added to the Endowment fund this year could mean so much for our clients and the Agency’s ability to meet their needs on a long-term basis. LifeCare Alliance has relied heavily on government funding in the past, but now that this funding has decreased and the need for our services is steadily increasing, the Agency must continue to put its focus on how to secure the future for our clients.

Clients rely on services from LifeCare Alliance to meet their basic needs. Many are not able to safely cook for themselves, so programs like Meals-on-Wheels is really important to their health and well-being.

Darlene Golden, a client of LifeCare Alliance, told NBC4: “I just love it. I just love it,” she said. “It’s very convenient because I’m not able to go out and get my food too much.”

One of the reasons the Agency has been so successful when other Meals-on-Wheels providers have long waiting lists to receive services or closed their doors due to financial reasons is because of our strong and dependent volunteer base. One of LifeCare Alliance’s volunteers, Jim Kimnach, has been with the Agency for four years. Kimnach said, “It’s a wonderful interaction every day. They have good stories to tell and they usually have a smile on their face.”

An anonymous donor has generously committed to matching the first $5 million in Endowment gifts, beginning in 2018. The donation comes during a momentous time for LifeCare Alliance as the Agency celebrates its 120th anniversary.

“To exist into the future, we need to build this fund up,” Chuck Gehring, president and CEO of LifeCare Alliance, said. “When I heard about this opportunity, I cried.”

The Meals-on-Wheels program is the Agency’s largest service, providing 5,000 meals to 5 counties in the area daily. One of our clients, Raymond Powell, has been receiving one of these hot, nutritious meals several times a week for 11 years now and also visits one of the Senior Dining Centers every week.

“Without them, I wouldn’t eat very well,” said Powell. “It’s good to get out of the house a bit and have a hot meal.”